Quality Time
by iwomans-sister
Summary: Darien and Alex get trapped in a dark building together with time counting down to Quicksilver Madness. With both Chrysalis and members from the Agency (Hobbes and Claire) looking for them it is a race against the clock, and QSM. Before ‘Possessed’ *W
1. Chapter One

Title: Quality Time

Author: iwomans_sister

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters from The Invisible Man', nor do I claim to. I just let the characters have the freedom the Official won't give them. Sue if you want, but I don't have anything to give you except a P.O.D. CD and about 37 cents.

Spoilers: I don't think so, but if I am wrong and you find them I will give you a refund. Oh wait, I'm not making any money on this. Too bad. *Best Soupman voice* No refund for you! *evil grin* Genre: Drama/Angst. 

Timeline: Before Possessed'

Rating: PG-13

*A Special thank you to my amazing Beta Reader, liz_Z*

"Sir,"Hobbes said, pacing into the Official's office.

"What is it, Hobbes?" The Official replied in a annoyed tone. "I though you were supposed to be on a mission or something."

"Fawkes and Monroe are M.I.A."

"What do you mean M.I.A.?"

"Missing in action, sir." Hobbes replied.

"Hobbes, that's not what I meant!" The Official said, more annoyed then before. "I meant what do you mean they are missing? It's not like they just disappeared!"

Hobbes raised his eyebrows. "Well..."

"Tell me the whole story, Hobbes."

This might take a while." Hobbes replied, sitting in one of the chairs in front of the Official's desk.

~*~

"Great, Fawkes! Just great!" Alex shouted, hitting her fists against the concrete wall. "You just had to go and get us trapped!"

"It wasn't my fault." Darien replied.

Alex smirked. "Wasn't your fault? Yeah, and I'm Snow White."

"Well..." Darien started, but Alex cut him off.

"Will you ever just act like an adult and take responsibility for your actions?"

"You should talk." Darien mumbled.

"What?" Alex asked. "What did you just say?"

"You heard me..."

"If I heard you then why did I ask you to repeat yourself?" Alex replied, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Oh, my bad." Darien replied. He made his way over to one of the corners in the room and sat down. He could barely see a thing, but his eyes were starting to adjust.

"How can Hobbes stand you?" Alex lashed out. She sat down also, but in a different corner. She focused her eyes on Darien. "If we're going to be stuck in here just do me a favor."

"What?"

"Don't talk."

~*~

"I want them found as soon a possible. Take an army with you if you have to!" The Official barked.

"Don't worry Sir, we'll find them before Chrysalis does, but I have a favor to ask."

"And that would be?"

"I need a syringe of counteragent from Claire."

"I can do better then that, I can send Claire with you."

"That's just want I meant, sir, I don't want Claire to come."

The Official gave Hobbes a long stare, then nodded. "Fine, just bring them back in one piece."

"Yes sir." Hobbes replied. He took off out of the Official's office, heading toward the Keep."

~*~

"How come you get to talk but I don't?" Darien asked.

"I never said I was going to talk. I just said for you not to talk." Alex replied.

"Well how about we both don't talk?"

"Fine with me. That's what I wanted from the beginning." Alex mumbled.

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

"No, I distinctively heard you say something."

"Fawkes, you're hearing things."

"Alex, just shut up, you're giving me a headache!"

Alex smirked, "Ditto." Alex moved to a more comfortable position, crossing her legs Indian style. She sat there for a second thinking about what had happened. Chrysalis had realized they were from the Agency and had opened fire. Darien had turned Alex and himself invisible to get away, only they didn't get far because they had run into a abandoned building to get away and the area around the door had collapsed.

Alex did a rewind. Darien had turned them both invisible. Both. Realization hit her, and it hit hard. "Fawkes, let me see your wrist."

"Bite me." Came his mumbled reply.

Alex rolled her eyes. "I'm serious here, Fawkes." The room was so dark that she could barely make out his lanky figure in the corner across from her. "Fawkes, I really need to see your wrist."

"What's the use Monroe? It's too dark in here to see a thing anyway. I've already tried."

She hadn't thought about that. He knew he had most likely used too much quicksilver on their escape. "Fawkes, I don't think there is much time. I need to tie you up with something."

"Tie me up?" Darien asked, nervously.

"It's the only way." Alex replied. "I don't know how long it will be before you go insane."

"But I might not."

"Do you really want to take that chance?" Alex asked.

After a short pause Darien replied, "When we first came in I saw a extension cord on one of the shelves by the door."

Alex stood up and made her way to the rubble. She heaved a sigh of relief when she realized that the shelf of the cabinet wasn't covered by the rubble from the cave in. Using her hands she felt around the shelf until she found the cord.

"Alex..." Darien trailed off, grabbing his head in pain.

Alex heard Darien cry out in pain and fear ceased her. "Fawkes, are you alright?" There was a moment of silence and the only thing she could hear was the unsteady beating of her heart. 

"Never been better." Darien finally replied. Right

then Alex knew. It was too late.

TBC???


	2. Chapter Two

Disclaimer and stuff you need to know so I don't get into trouble in part one. Hope you enjoy! *Hands out cherry coke*

Hobbes walked into the Keep looking around for Claire. He spotted her standing next to the demented dentist chair where his partner normally got his shots. "Hey, Keepy?"

"What is it, Bobby? I am rather busy..."

"I need some counteragent." Hobbes said, cutting her off.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I just need some counteragent. Fawkes might be close to quicksilver madness. I just want to make sure that that doesn't happen."

"Why don't you just let me give him the shot?" Claire asked, curiosity getting the best of her.

"He's not here." Hobbes replied.

"Well, where is he?"

Hobbes walked around the Keep for a minute, thinking. He knew if he didn't tell Claire she had her ways of finding out. "He's M.I.A."

"What?" Claire asked in disbelief. "When? I thought he and Alex were on a mission?"

"They were. From what my sources tell me Chrysalis made them and they just disappeared. Literally. I need to find them before Chrysalis does." Hobbes said as his cell phone rang.

~*~

"Fawkes, where are you?" Alex noticed that her hands were trembling. She heard Darien move, but she couldn't tell where he was. It didn't help that the room was as dark as it was. She was sure he was invisible; before she had at least been able to see his form, but now she couldn't see anything at all. Her suspicions were confirmed when she felt a rush of cold air behind her. "Fawkes, this isn't funny."

"I disagree," Darien replied, unquicksilvering his eyes. 

Alex turned around, surprised by the redness of his eyes. She had seen him quicksilver mad before. But she had never gotten used to it. "Why don't you be a good little boy and let me use this on you." She said, referring to the extension cord.

"Oh, I like this game already." Darien replied with a wicked smile. He reached for the cord and grabbed it out of Alex's hands before she could react. 

She was surprised by how fast he had moved. The adrenaline from the madness must have been improving his skills. "Fawkes, what are you doing?"

Darien knotted and unknotted the cord a few times. "Just making sure that this is strong enough."

"For what?"

Darien quickly grabbed Alex by the shoulders and turned her around. He wrapped the cord around her wrists and tied it. Then he turned her back around. "For that."

Alex was ceased with fear once again. Had it been anyone else she would have kicked his butt. But she didn't want to hurt Darien. Still, if it came down to it, she would. "Listen Fawkes, just untie me and I can make sure that you get out of here unharmed."

"The way I see it you're the only one who is going to get hurt." Darien replied with another wicked smile. "But that's only if you don't cooperate."

~*~

Hobbes rushed out the Agency doors and into the parking lot, heading straight toward Golda. 

"Where are you going, Bobby?"

"I have to find them. That call was a lead from Hobbesnet. Someone saw where they went." Hobbes pulled out his keys and jumped into the van.

"Let me come with you." Claire said, getting into the passengers side.

"No Claire, get out."

"Make me!"

"Claire, I am warning you. I don't think this is safe for you."

"I'll take my chances." Claire replied, buckling up. "You just drive."

~*~

Darien pinned Alex against the wall. He grabbed the back of her head and forced her into a kiss.

"Darien, please, I don't want to hurt you." Alex said as soon as Darien pulled away. In reply Darien kissed her again. Alex took her opportunity and used her knee to hit him in the groin. Darien cried out in pain, but didn't let go of her. She did it again, this time harder. He fell to the ground moaning. "Sorry," Alex said. "I really didn't want to hurt you."

Alex brought her hands over her head, then using her teeth she untied the cord. She rubbed her wrists, then reached down to pick up the cord. As she did so though, she felt her feet knocked out from under her. She hit the ground and came face to face with a very angry quicksilver mad 

Darien. 

"You really shouldn't have done that." Darien said. Both Darien and Alex reached for the cord at the same time. He got it first. 

~*~

Hobbes pulled into the deserted parking lot. "Well," he 

said, turning off the engine. "We're here." They both got out of the van and looked around.

"Besides all the tall brush it looks pretty empty to me." Claire said.

"I was thinking the same thing..." Hobbes paused, looking at Claire. "But I was also thinking that it's the perfect spot for an ambush." They traded knowing glances, then rushed back into Golda just as the firing started. Claire ducked down between the dashboard and the passenger's seat. "Get in the back!" Hobbes yelled, firing his own gun.

"I don't think so!" Claire replied. She got behind her seat and started firing. Hobbes realized that she had probably been loading her gun a few moments ago. He had thought she was trying to hide. 

"You know, I thought something was wrong when your informant said he saw them." She fired a few more times then exchanged clips. "I mean, you did say they were invisible."

"Great, why didn't you say anything?" Hobbes asked. He ducked behind his seat long enough to switch his clip.

"I thought you knew." Claire replied as the glass from the windshield shattered into millions of pieces.

~*~

Alex pulled a hair pin out of her hair and stabbed Darien through the hand with it. As soon as Darien let go of the cord she snatched it up. She jumped to her feet and got to the nearest corner; holding the cord behind her back. "You want me, come get me."

"That can be arranged." Darien replied, going invisible.

TBC

Me, evil? You could say that. :) Next part soon.

Naomi


	3. Chapter Three

Disclaimer and other things that you need to know in chapter one. Spoilers in this part from The Choice'.

Hobbes continued firing, only pausing when he needed to reload. He and Claire were letting each other know when that needed to be done. Claire was a little surprised that Hobbes had had emergency ammo in his van, but after everything she had seen in the past two years she knew she shouldn't have been.

Claire fired a few more shots, "We're getting low on ammunition. I hope you have a back up plan." She let out a small grunt as she felt a sharp pang in her shoulder.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Keep firing!"

Hobbes gave her a questioning look, but complied. He noticed that the gunfire from the Chrysali' agents was dwindling down. After a few more shots from Claire and Hobbes the firing stopped completely. Claire sat on the floorboard of the van, leaning against the seat back.

"Claire, are you okay?" Hobbes brushed some of the glass off of her, surprise covering his features when he pulled back his hand and found it covered in blood.

~*~

Alex stood still, trying not to even breath so she could hear where Darien was by the sound his footsteps made on the concrete floor. She heard a sound to the left and turned her head.

"Wrong choice." Darien whispered into her ear.

"Maybe for you." Alex replied. She lashed out at him at first, but realizing that that wasn't going to work she brought her foot up and kicked him in the head, knocking him out. Smiling to herself for a job well done she drug him over to the corner by the collapsed door. "I guess all my training was worth it after all."

~*~

At first Hobbes thought he had cut himself on the glass, but then thought better of it. "Claire, you've been shot."

"I'm fine, Bobby. Really I am. Shouldn't you be making sure that all the Chrysalis agents are unarmed or dead?"

Hobbes pulled off his jacket and wrapped it like a sling around her shoulder and arm to try to stop the bleeding. "This is exactly why I didn't want you to come."

"Bobby!"

"Claire, I'm serious!"

"No, Bobby, behind you!"

Hobbes turned around in time to see a Chrysalis agent standing on the other side of the broken windshield. He started to raise his hand, in which he held a gun. Before he could fire however, Hobbes pointed his own gun at the agent and pulled the trigger. He shot the kid, who couldn't have been any older than twenty, right between the eyes.

Claire looked away in disgust; she would be having nightmares for a long time to come. "I think you should really make sure all the living agents are unarmed."

"Good idea." Hobbes replied. He looked at her shoulder one more time then headed out of the van.

~*~

Alex slid down the wall, wrapping her arms around her knees, deep in thought. She wondered when they would be found. If they would be found... She didn't know how long it had been, but she guessed it must have been at least a couple hours since they had gotten trapped. She dreaded the thought of what would happen when Darien woke up. Seeing the strength he had used earlier, she didn't think the extension cord would work. 

She sighed and got to her feet, searching for it; she had nothing to lose. At least tying him up would stall him. Alex hated to admit it, but she was scared. For the first time in a while, she was scared to death. Not only did Darien's conscience go out the window as soon as he went quicksilver mad, but he also had added strength. There was no way she could protect herself. The only thing she could do was pray the extension cord would hold him until Hobbes arrived.

~*~

Hobbes kept walking through the deep, dry brush. He had to admit, Chrysalis had done a good job at tricking him. He had been so concerned for the safety of his partner and Alex Monroe that he hadn't been thinking straight. Hobbes was pulled out of his thoughts as he found another Chrysali' agent.

He had searched most of the field in a quick sweep, he didn't think he would find any more agents. Checking the agent's pulse, he sighed as he realized the kid was dead. That made four dead, counting the one he had shot between the eyes, and six wounded. Ten agents seemed about right. He headed back toward the van, satisfied that his search was done and he could get Claire to a hospital.

Reaching the van he saw Claire bandaging up one of the wounded agents he had brought over. He had no idea where she had found the supplies she was using, and just watching her try to help someone with one arm in a sling made him wince. The shot she had taken to the shoulder hadn't been that bad, but she had lost a lot of blood and he knew she must have been feeling at least a little dizzy.

Hobbes opened his cell phone and dialed the Agency. Chrysalis would be here soon to do a cleanup. Hobbes wasn't sure that he wanted to be in another gun fight with only a few clips and an injured doctor.

"This is him."

"It was a trap, sir. We still haven't been able to find them."

"Damnit!" The Official replied. Hobbes heard a noise in the background and was sure that the Official had either thrown something or slammed his fist against his desk. "I want them found!"

"I know, sir. We all do."

"Hobbes, do whatever it takes, just find them."

"I will, sir." Hobbes said to the dial tone. Closing his cell phone, a light clicked in his head as he looked over at Claire. "I know how to find them."

She looked at him, puzzlement crossing over her features. "How?"

~*~

Alex reached down and found the cord in the dark. Walking toward Darien, she tried not to make any sound. She wondered if he would wake up while she was tying him, and hoped he wouldn't. Rolling Darien over, she started looping the cord around his hands; as soon as she was confident it was the best she could do she ran the cord down to his feet and tied them as well.

Making sure the cord was as tight as possible again, she headed back to a corner and slid down the wall. She knew it wasn't enough space between him and her, but there was nothing else she could do. She wrapped her hands around her knees and started to rock back and forth, wondering if she would ever see her son again. 

She regretted giving her son back to Eleanor Stark. When she had done it she had thought that it was what was best for James. She had had no idea that Eleanor had been placating her at the time, and wished that there was something she could do to take it all back. But she knew there was nothing.

Alex felt an object in her back pocket and reached to pull it out, realizing that it was her cell phone. She wanted to slap herself. She knew it wouldn't work, the concrete walls were stopping her from getting a signal. But she had had a special tracker installed in case of an emergency. 

She pressed the little red button next to the power one and punched in her four digit code, hoping that it would work without the signal and the dial tone. She heard movement from the other side of the room and knew Darien was starting to stir. She didn't know how much longer she would have. Only one person knew about the tracker, and she hoped he knew what to look for.

TBC


End file.
